GO151 History of the Earth

for SP 2010

Mission Statement: The mission of Park University, an entrepreneurial institution of learning, is to provide access to academic excellence, which will prepare learners to think critically, communicate effectively and engage in lifelong learning while serving a global community.

Vision Statement: Park University will be a renowned international leader in providing innovative educational opportunities for learners within the global society.

Course Description: This is a survey of the history of the earth, including its continents, oceans, and life. The course will be divided into two parts: (1) An introduction into how the earth's history is recognized from the earth's materials and structures and (2) an examination of the past life and major geologic events that have been recorded. 3:3:4

Learning Outcomes:Core Learning Outcomes

Classify fossil specimens based on identification of preservation type and morphological features.

Discuss major life adaptations and mass extinction events throughout Earth's history.

Express how continents and oceans are formed and how they have changed with time.

Compare and contrast life, climates, and ecology of the past and present.

Core Assessment:

Class Assessment:

Homework 2 (paper) worth 20% of total course grade.
The Core Assessment for this course will challenge the student to become familiar with Earth's History in terms of the evolution of continents, life, and climate. The student must write a min of 6 page paper (NOT including figures), using a minimum of 6 sources, in which they conduct an historical geology analysis. The analysis must cover the geology at different time periods.

The paper must include the following parts:

1) Introduction: Must include a clear thesis statement about the historical geology of the locations and time periods selected. (Content of Communication)

2) Life adaptations and mass extinctions: Summarize three life adaptations (evolution). One from each of the following: Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic [CLO#2; Analysis] Include the following: • Identify and fully explain one example from the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic. • For each life adaptation discussed, explain how it helped or hindered the groups chances of survival in the mass extinction(s) that followed.

3) Landmass and ocean evolution: Describe and analyze the geologic history of a country or US state. [CLO#3; Application] Include the following: • Explain all the landmasses and depositional environments (marine and non-marine) that have occurred throughout geologic time at the selected location. • Construct maps that support your analysis and show the changing environments with time.

4) Life, ecology, and climate of reefs: Evaluate by comparing and contrasting modern reefs with a reef from the Paleozoic and Mesozoic. [CLO#4; Evaluation] Include the following: • Fully explain the organisms present, their ecology, and climate required to thrive. • Maps and figures to support your evaluations.

5) Conclusion: Summarize how this paper demonstrates that historical geology is a key to understanding the modern environment. Then propose an action plan to educate people about mass extinctions and climate change and how likely it is to have another one in modern times.[CLO#2,3,4; Synthesis]

6) Works Cited: List, alphabetically, any sources you cited within the paper (Note: You must have at least 6 different sources). I prefer Chicago Style but APA and MLA documentation style is also acceptable. [Technical Skill in Communication]

Grading:

The course will use the traditional scale of 90%=A, 80%=B, 70%=C, 60%=D, and below 60%=F.

NO EXTRA CREDIT

Exam 1

100 pts

Exam 2

100 pts

Exam 3

100 pts

Final (not comprehensive)

100 pts

Homework 1

100 pts

Homework 2

200 pts

Lab Midterm

100 pts

Lab Final (taken last day of lab)

100 pts

Lab Exercises

150 pts (approx.)

TOTAL

1050 pts

Late Submission of Course Materials: Homework turned in late will be counted off 10% per day, so you have 10 days to submit it before it becomes worth 0 Points. Students missing class due to participation in athletic or other school-sponsored events will need to make arrangements prior to their absence.

Classroom Rules of Conduct:

Students are held responsible for acquiring all materials and information missed during a class session from another student. • Please set phones to vibrate or OFF in the classroom. If you do receive notice of an emergency call quietly leave the classroom to make or receive a call in the hall or outside of the building.

The instructor will strive to create an informal and comfortable classroom environment for class discussion. However, this is an educational forum and the instructor expects students to act accordingly. Students will treat fellow students and the instructor with respect.

Computers make writing and revising much easier and more productive. Students must recognize though that technology can also cause problems. Printers run out of ink and hard drive crash. Students must be responsible for planning ahead and meeting deadlines in spite of technology. Be sure to save copies of your work to disk, hard drive, and print out paper copies for backup purposes.

If you miss an exam you MUST contact the instructor before the next class meeting to have the possibility of being granted a Make Up exam. Only one Make Up exam is allowed unless circumstances are approved by the instructor. Do not miss the final.

Don't show up late! If you do, DO IT QUIETLY!!
Do not go to the bathroom every class period.
Do not talk loudly to others during class.
Do not ask me for my book or notes.

Please do not ever feel like you can not talk to me. I get paid to help you!

Course Topic/Dates/Assignments:

GO 151 LECTURE SCHEDULE

M

Jan. 11

Introduction

M

W

Jan. 13

Historical Geology

W

M

Jan. 18

NO CLASS

M

W

Jan. 20

Time

W

M

Jan. 25

Earth Materials

M

W

Jan. 27

Earth Materials

W

M

Feb. 1

Sedimentary Rocks

M

W

Feb. 3

EXAM 1

W

M

Feb. 8

Fossil Record

M

W

Feb. 10

Earth Structure and Plate Tectonics

W

M

Feb. 15

NO CLASS

M

W

Feb. 17

Earth Structure and Plate Tectonics

W

M

Feb. 22

The Archean

M

W

Feb. 24

The Proterozoic Era

W

M

Mar. 1

The Proterozoic Era

M

W

Mar. 3

EXAM 2

W

M

Mar. 8

Paleozoic Events

M

W

Mar. 10

Paleozoic Events

W

M

Mar. 15

NO CLASS

M

W

Mar. 17

NO CLASS

W

M

Mar. 22

Life of the Paleozoic

M

W

Mar. 24

Life of the Paleozoic

W

M

Mar. 29

Mesozoic Events

M

W

Mar. 31

Mesozoic Events

W

M

Apr. 5

Life of the Mesozoic

M

W

Apr. 7

Life of the Mesozoic

W

M

Apr. 12

EXAM 3

M

W

Apr. 14

Cenozoic Events

W

M

Apr. 19

Cenozoic Events

M

W

Apr. 21

Cenozoic Events

W

M

Apr. 26

Life of the Cenozoic

M

W

Apr. 28

Life of the Cenozoic

W

M

May. 3

Human Origins

M

W

May. 5

Human Origins

W

M

May. ?

FINAL

M

LAB

Jan

12

Take Home Lab

19

26

Feb

2

9

16

23

Mar

2

9

MIDTERM

16

NO CLASS

23

30

April

6

13

20

27

May

4

LAB FINAL

Academic Honesty:Academic integrity is the foundation of the academic community. Because each student has the primary responsibility for being academically honest, students are advised to read and understand all sections of this policy relating to standards of conduct and academic life. Park University 2008-2009 Undergraduate Catalog Page 87

Plagiarism:Plagiarism involves the use of quotations without quotation marks, the use of quotations without indication of the source, the use of another's idea without acknowledging the source, the submission of a paper, laboratory report, project, or class assignment (any portion of such) prepared by another person, or incorrect paraphrasing. Park University 2009-2010 Undergraduate Catalog Page 92

The instructor may excuse absences for valid reasons, but missed work must be made up within the semester/term of enrollment.

Work missed through unexcused absences must also be made up within the semester/term of enrollment, but unexcused absences may carry further penalties.

In the event of two consecutive weeks of unexcused absences in a semester/term of enrollment, the student will be administratively withdrawn, resulting in a grade of "F".

A "Contract for Incomplete" will not be issued to a student who has unexcused or excessive absences recorded for a course.

Students receiving Military Tuition Assistance or Veterans Administration educational benefits must not exceed three unexcused absences in the semester/term of enrollment. Excessive absences will be reported to the appropriate agency and may result in a monetary penalty to the student.

Report of a "F" grade (attendance or academic) resulting from excessive absence for those students who are receiving financial assistance from agencies not mentioned in item 5 above will be reported to the appropriate agency.

Disability Guidelines:Park University is committed to meeting the needs of all students that meet the criteria for special assistance. These guidelines are designed to supply directions to students concerning the information necessary to accomplish this goal. It is Park University's policy to comply fully with federal and state law, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, regarding students with disabilities. In the case of any inconsistency between these guidelines and federal and/or state law, the provisions of the law will apply. Additional information concerning Park University's policies and procedures related to disability can be found on the Park University web page: http://www.park.edu/disability .

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